Whether or not you bust out your grill for a Fourth of July celebration, a barbecue with friends, or just simply a dinner with your family, there’s no better time to grill than in the summer. With July being National Grilling Month, here’s six tips to get the most out of your grilling experience.

1. Use wood from fruit trees for extra flavor – to change up the flavor in your food, add fruit chips to your charcoal. Not only are fruit woods mild in flavor, but they’re also high in sap and have fewer impurities in them. You can choose from whatever is easiest to find: peach, cherry, apple, or grape.

2. Don’t buy your logs from the grocery store – while it might be more convenient to stop by your store really quick and pick it up, the logs don’t give your food the best results. Grocery store logs will burn fast and with little smoke that you won’t get far in your grilling. A rule of thumb is if the log feels unnaturally light when you pick it up, it’s going to burn like gasoline. To find the best logs for your next cookout, Craigslist and the classifieds are the best way to go.

3. Soak wood chips in water – the water content makes the chips produce more smoke, which increases your flavor. Soak your wood chips in water for at least an hour, but for maximum flavor, soak them overnight. Drain the wood chips, then wrap them up in aluminum foil and put them in your grill.

4. Let the meat sit before eating – After taking your meat off the grill, let it sit for a few minutes. Letting the meat sit seals the juices and keeps the meat from drying out. Don’t cut until you’re ready to imminently serve and eat. To save the most juice in your meat, use barbecue tongs or spatulas instead of forks.

5. Soak wooden skewers in water to avoid burning – Make sure to soak wooden skewers in cold water for at least 30 minutes before using them to keep them from burning. If you use metal skewers, wipe them with a paper towel dripped in vegetable oil to stop food from sticking to them. If you’re going to be using a lot of skewers, soak a bunch of skewers for an hour, drain them, freeze them, and pull them out a few at a time as needed

6. Use aluminum foil as a grill brush – If you’re not a regular “griller” or are missing your tools, roll up a sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil until it’s the size of a navel orange and put it up between locking chef tongs. With the tongs as a handle, hold on to the ball of foil and brush away!